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EDMONTON — Soft, cosy and warm, sweaters are like wearable hugs, what we all want to tuck ourselves into on cold winter days.

It’s too bad, then, that knits tend to fall in among the drier pieces in our wardrobes — boring and bland next to bright plaid tops and raw denim jeans.

But sweaters are more than just prep school crewnecks: there are dozens of cuts, weights and styles and even more ways to dress them up, especially now that the humble sweater is making a comeback beyond the college professor crowd.

"We’ve been selling a lot of sweaters and we carry a lot of sweaters," says Matt Israelson at menswear boutique Jaisel Apparel off Whyte Avenue. "As it gets colder, people want sweaters to put over their shirt."

The key here for men is layering, pulling a sweater on over a button-up shirt and maybe even a nice wool tie.

"It’s a bit of an old-man look, but I think it looks good on some more fashion-forward young dudes who are kind of reclaiming that classic look," says Israelson, who notes the resurgence of the sweater may be tied to the rise of retro TV shows like Mad Men.

This season, sweaters are back in staple greys and charcoals, but there’s also a wider variety of brights available, says Guy Thaller at local menswear chain Val Berg’s City Centre Mall location.

"We were black and grey for so long that colours have come back," says Thaller, who has a healthy stock of reds, purples and emerald greens.

To tone down the stuffiness often associated with sweaters, Thaller suggests adding accessories such as a nice scarf or an interesting pair of gloves. "If it’s a heavy enough knit, you can almost wear it as an outer piece," he adds, which will give you an entirely different look.

Under or over, paired with a tie or a scarf, there is a sweater for every winter occasion. Today, Style teams up with Jaisel to help guys navigate the kingdom of knitwear.

Cardigan

- What: B:Scott cardigan with leather elbow patches and buttons, $185. "It’s been one of my favourites in our store," says Israelson. "I just like the texture, the interplay between the blacks and the greys, and the other thing is the leather buttons and leather patches. It adds sophistication any time you have leather or suede patches."

- Perfect for: Date night. "Any time you can pull off the old-man look as a young guy, you’re doing OK."

- How to wear it: Israelson, shown above, wears his cardigan with a polished black dress shirt. "You can wear a tie if you want to look really nice," he says. "I think any time you’re wearing a nice dress shirt done up all the way and a cardigan, you’re giving off a certain air."

It’s a little bit Mad Men, a little bit Madison Avenue advertiser, Israelson explains. Pair it with structured trousers or dark denim, but stay away from T-shirts. "If you were just to wear a white T-shirt underneath, you won’t be doing the outfit or the sweater justice."

Fair Isle

- What: Gant Rugger Winter Jacquard Sweater, $165

- Perfect for: Christmas dinner with Grandma, but "you can wear it any time after the snow falls," says Israelson. "It just exudes winter and snow fights."

- How to wear it: "I’d wear it with a pair of cords. You’d look like a nice young man," Israelson says. The sweater can be worn on its own, but if you want to make Granny really proud, layer a smart button-up underneath to up the dressiness.

- "You do want to avoid looking like a Sears catalogue model," warns Israelson. Try toning down the preppiness of the look with an unexpected pair of street sneakers. "Instead of wearing loafers, wear old-school New Balance sneakers." (But please keep the gym shoes at the gym.)

Shawl neck

- What: Leomanes sweater by Matinique, $149

- Perfect for: Ales with the boys. "Someone with a thick beard would wear this outfit to a pub, take off his parka with the fur-trim hood, and have this underneath and just look like the comfiest person in the world," says Israelson. "It’s a sweater meant to look comfortable and you’re meant to look relaxed in it." (Beards are not mandatory.)

- How to wear it: Pair with a casual, lightweight Henley. "Especially with something like this, which has more of an open-neck, you want to wear something underneath it so you’re not showing too much chest, I suppose," Israelson says. The unique shawl neck elevates this top from just a sweater to something with style.

V-neck

- What: Sweater by Penguin in mulberry, $89

- Perfect for: Power lunch with a client.

- How to wear it: The V-neck sweater is a staple in many wardrobes so kick it up a notch by choosing one in an edgier colour, like a rich purple. "There’s something about dark purple — you have to be a bit confident to wear it. But if you do it right, it looks great," says Israelson. "If you’re going to wear a purple sweater, you’ll want the rest of your outfit to be fairly muted, basic colours."

Turtleneck

- What: Lask cardigan by Matinique, $129

- Perfect for: Colder days, when all you want to do is hunker down into your collar.

- How to wear it: Israelson picked a modern spin on the turtleneck, one with buttons that can be worn as a cardigan. "If you want to spice it up, I’d unbutton it and wear a scarf around the neck," he says. "It adds a bit of movement to the sweater."

Open neck

- What: Steven sweater by Suit, $109

- Perfect for: A house party. "It’s like a free lounging sweater," says Israelson. "Make a fire and sit by it and read Hemingway. ... It’s a pipe-smoking sweater."

- How to wear it: Because it has such an open neck, Israelson again recommends layering over a button-up or T-shirt. "I like how it’s got this really thick collar. It’s got weight to it. It looks really Scandinavian to me," says Israelson. The thick knit gives it gravity, and the mix of greys and blacks gives it a monochromatic texture. "It’s interesting in its subtleties."

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